Column: We must mprove relationship between county board and executive

Friday, January 18, 2013

We must mprove relationship between county board and executive

By David FlynnAs a new term unfolds for the Macomb County Board of Commissioners, I consider myself very fortunate to be chairman of this board at such a pivotal time for our county.

Iíve served on this board since 2007. I know that leadership matters, and that having a shared vision for the future is essential. I also know that a government with strong legislative and executive branches is what residents expect and what they deserve. As board chairman, my aim is to balance principle with pragmatism, and to work to provide clear oversight and the necessary checks and balances between the executive and legislative branches of Macomb County government.

We have a new, energetic group of commissioners with decades of collective experience. I will ensure that we exceed our responsibility by leading a board that is action oriented in addressing the issues that affect us all. I will always have an open-door policy, and I encourage members of this board to promote policies that they believe are beneficial to their constituents.

This commissionís goal is to bring our role into the 21st century by utilizing technology to deliver government to the peopleís doorstep. As part of this mission, we will expand the live-streaming of meetings and televise our meetings on local cable access channels. Our goals also include holding more hearings on issues that affect residents, working on policies that improve infrastructure and efficiency and benchmarking results to best appropriate taxpayer funds.

During this term, we will also expand upon our legal right to review and approve county contracts by establishing an efficient process based on maximum transparency. This board will insist that a budget review process begin earlier in the year that is steeped in clear communication and collaboration with our Finance Department and the county executive. It is essential for the legislative and executive branches to build mutual trust, to improve our communication and to establish a formal negotiation process that will make compromise possible. I have extended an invitation to the county executive for regular and on-going meetings to achieve this.

While we improve our relationships in Macomb, we also need to continue to push for regional collaboration that meets the needs of the growing population and diversity in our county. It is past time that this region supports infrastructure which creates jobs and retains and attracts talent.

I am especially proud that this board and our county executive stood together to support a Regional Transit Authority. Transit has an enormous impact by connecting us to the places we work, the schools we attend and the entertainment we enjoy.

Because leaders worked together across geographic boundaries, Cobo Center and the International Auto Show were saved. The Detroit Zoo, and now, proudly, the Detroit Institute of Arts are supported and operated by our entire region. Commissioners need to forge more of these partnerships for the benefit of our constituents. For instance, did you know that every third-grader in Utica Community schools benefits from our relationship with the zoo through visits and corresponding lessons incorporated into the class curriculum? In addition, seniors in Macomb County enjoy bus tours to the DIA from Mount Clemens. Collaborative relationships are the key to our future.

In that spirit, I look forward to working together with our new board and with the county executive to create a Macomb County that we can continue to proudly call home.

David Flynn is the chairman of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners.